Twelve employees of Stefano's Pizzeria in Marin County chipped in to buy $250 worth of tickets at Jolly King Liquors in Mill Valley. They almost won the jackpot.
"We were together and we got so crazy but the Mega didn't come," said Luciano Arruda, a lottery winner.
They matched five of six numbers. So did eight other people in California. Each winning ticket is worth more than $308,000.
"We feel great. It was amazing. I mean unbelievable. It feels really great," said Giovane Souza, a lottery winner.
"You just want to get a cerveza and celebrate," said Luiz Mauro, a lottery winner.
The owner of the store says a lot more customers have been coming in since news got out.
"But it would be great if we had sold the jackpot ticket that would be $300 million-odd and money for me too," said Anil Dhir, the owner of Jolly King Liquors. When asked if he got any money if someone wins 5 numbers, he said, "We don't get any commission."
Gary Gleason had reservations about buying a ticket here on Wednesday.
"I'm worried the mojo was used up with whatever happened with the last one, so maybe I should have gone somewhere else," said Gleason.
Meanwhile, in the East Bay, Mark Resare got four numbers plus the mega number. He'll collect $13,000. His luck changed when nine days ago he finally landed a job at Sun Power Corporation - a solar energy company. He had been unemployed for two years after the NUMMI auto plant closed.
"I was so excited at that point I thought later if I had won the big one, $363 million, I might have made it. I might have had a coronary right there," said Resare.
Because no one won all six numbers, the jackpot is up to $500 million.
"Oh my God I hope I can sleep tonight. It's going to be great," said Gloria Fitzgerald, a Mill Valley resident.
The owners of the liquor store only get a commission if someone gets all six numbers and then they get .5 percent -- which would still be $2.5 million.
